


Killer's Eyes

by ReScripta



Category: Rango (2011)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:41:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22049542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReScripta/pseuds/ReScripta
Summary: The Jenkins-Cousins hunt Rango through the desert. On the run Rango runs across Rattlesnake Jake and asks him for help. But will the Grim Reaper save him? No, he is a killer, isn't he?
Kudos: 13





	1. Merciless

He had to escape. He had to get away from them. They mustn't catch him.

Rango clapped spurs to his roadrunner and the riding animal took everything from the reserve. He heard thundering gallop of chickens behind him. They caught up with him soon. That mustn't happen. The chameleon clapped spurs to his roadrunner again.

"Faster, faster!", Rango pleaded.

_Don't let them get closer, otherwise everything is over._

Why was he so careless and ventured into the area of the Jenkins family?

Why?

What made him do that?

Was it carelessness, stupidity or posturing?

Or the comments of some town people, who claimed he would never dare to challenge the Jenkins-Cousins?

Did he therefore say, he could rival with anyone and sneak into the area to arrest the Jenkins-Cousins?

Maybe everything would go according to plan when the Jenkins-Cousins would not have been on alert and had ambushed him. In contrast to the town people the Jenkins-Cousins had convinced that he had really killed their relatives. No wonder that they were very angry about him and hunted him through the desert for one hour.

 _They're still behind me_ , Rango thought in panic.

If they catch him, he will certainly nothing have to laugh. Rango looked around desperately. Dusk was approaching, but with no place to hide. Around him only desert and barren rocks of stony hills. Maybe he could hide behind the cairns, but the stones are too flat. He couldn't hide.

Rango screamed in horror as the roadrunner stumbled. Both lost their balance and fell to the ground. Rango stood up quickly and tried to give the roadrunner a leg-up.

"Come on! Stand up!"

But the roadrunner was too exhausted. It couldn't stand up. The animal lay on the ground with panting and gasping for air. Once again Rango tried to get the animal back on its feet, but then he startled.

"Over there he is!", he heard one of the Jenkins-Cousins. "Grab him!"

Six other riders appeared.

Driven by panic Rango ran on without roadrunner. The fear rose inside him when he saw the seven Jenkins-Cousins on their roadrunners coming closer.

"No!", Rango cried and ran at a faster pace. The galloping sound of his pursuers behind him grew louder and louder. Suddenly the leader was right behind him.

Rango got out of the way of the Jenkins-leader's grip, bent to the right and ran about the flat stone hills.

The leader of the Jenkins-Cousins was annoyed at first. But then he uttered a loud curse and rode again behind the lizard.

His other cousins followed him.

Rango tried to concentrate. It had become difficult to see anything in the dusk.

A glimmer of hope rose inside him when he saw a small range of hills in front of him.

He turned off to the right and ran behind the cairn.

 _Rescued,_ he thought hopefully. Now he just had to find a suitable hiding place…

Suddenly he banged against something big. He rebounded from it and landed hard on the ground. With groaning, he rubbed his lower back.

"What the…?"

His breath caught. Instead of a rock wall it began to move and took shape. Rango's blood ran cold when two glowing eyes stared at him.

"What the hell are you doing here?!", Jake hissed angrily.

Rango didn't know what to say. Frightened, he tried to hide behind Jake.

"The Jenkins-Cousins are after me! Hide me, please!"

Jake looked at him speechless. But then his speechless changed into a spiteful, mocking laughter. "Hide you? Are you crazy? Forget it!"

With these words Jake crawled away in a high speed.

"Wait! They're going to kill me!"

"I don't mind!", Jake shouted back sarcastically.

Rango watched helplessly how Jake was climbing up a high rock hill. At the top he paused and looked down gleefully at the chameleon.

Rango winced as he heard the voices of the Jenkins-Cousins.

"Seek him! He can't be so far away!"

In panic Rango climbed up to Jake. But as soon as he was on the top, he looked scared into Jake's revolver.

"No step further, sheriff! Or you're earlier dead than you prefer."

Jake smirked gloatingly. But Rango wasn't in a laughing mood and looked pleadingly at Jake.

"Jake, please! Help me, please!"

But Jake didn't let him finish and pushed him down. Rango lost his footing and fell down the steep wall. He crashed hard on the ground and stayed lying down.

Jake looked down darkly at him. When he heard the voices of the Jenkins-Cousins he chose to backtrack and left Rango alone.

Meanwhile, Rango had recovered from the crash and straightened up with moaning.

Suddenly he was grabbed from behind and someone pulled up brutally him at the shoulders. "Now we've got you!", the leader of the Jenkins-Cousins said and laughed spitefully.

Rango tried to free himself from their grips, but the bandits grabbed his hands on his back. The leader had taken out his revolver and held the barrel to Rango's face.

"NO!", Rango cried, but then the leader took his weapon down again.

"Did you really think we would shoot you? No. That's would be too easy. It will be slowly and very painfully."

"But I didn't shoot the Jenkins-Brothers…"

Rango couldn't speak on, because one of the Jenkins-Cousins tied a scarf around his mouth.

Rango's gaze wandered to the rocks where he saw Jake in the distance.

He tried to cry for help, but this was impossible because of the gag in his mouth. He fixed Jake with a pleading look. Jake realized Rango's supplication, but the killer didn't let himself be persuaded by this view. Without batting an eye the rattlesnake turned away and disappeared.

In vain Rango tried to hold him back with his muffled cries, but he knew he could expect no help from Jake. He was completely at the mercy of the Jenkins bandits.

At this moment the leader pulled out a long whip.

"Nobody messed with the Jenkins family with impunity. Absolutely nobody!"

Rango was wide-eyed.


	2. Cold eyes

**The next morning…**

Jake opened his weary eyes. He didn't sleep very well. He groaned and coiled his body and held his head in the morning sun.

He was not far away from the place where Rango and the bandits had stayed. The killer wanted to look later what the Jenkins cousins have done with him.

Although it was not a pleasure for him to hear Rango's low, pleading cries in the night.

But Jake was too proud. He didn't want to help him.

Nevertheless, Jake slept badly and didn't want to imagine what the bandits had done with the chameleon. Even the Jenkins brothers didn't stand for any nonsense.

Jake listened intently. Everything was quiet. Apparently the Jenkins cousins had finished their torture to the chameleon.

Jake waited a while. Then he went on his way.

* * *

Jake let carefully wander his gaze over the area, where he had left Rango last night.

But no one was there.

Jake didn't trust the peace and decided to sneak up very carefully.

When he finally arrived in the valley, he darted his tongue in and out. No one of the bandits to be seen. Nevertheless, Jake expected an ambush every moment.

He examined watchfully his surroundings. He could smell the smell of other persons and also the familiar smell of Rango.

His gaze shifted to the floor, where the sand was strongly churned up like after a fight.

Jake tilted his head and smelled intensely with his tongue about the ground. A light scent of old blood gave him a bad feeling.

What have the bandits done with him?

With distrust, he moved on over the free sand surface and let his gaze wander.

He stopped as he passed a small rock alley. At the end of the alley, he saw something lying on the sandy ground. He crawled hesitantly to it and smelled incessantly.

When he was just a few meters away, he realized what or rather who lay on the ground.

In silence, Jake let rest his eyes on the chameleon.

His pathetic state was not to be overlooked.

Rango lay on the side, his arms and legs were tied together on the back and he was gagged.

The bandits had taken off his clothes so that the injuries were clearly visible.

His body was over and over covered with bruises, several ruptured wounds, a large head wound, and whippings on his back.

The leader has used his whip very often.

Jake pushed the lizard gently with his revolver. But Rango showed no sign of life.

Jake shook his head disapprovingly.

"So young and so fast dead," he muttered in an indifferent tone.

He snorted with contempt. Basically, this lizard had to attribute to himself all alone. Yes, it serves him right. Such a swindler like him got what he deserved.

Pride comes before a fall, Jake thought. Then he turned around and crawled away.

But as soon as he was a few meters away, he stopped in his movement.

He thought he had heard a groan. He looked back, but Rango lay still motionless on the ground.

Jake was very suspicious by nature. He turned round and stopped right in front of Rango.

He let floating his tongue about Rango's face. He could feel a slight breath.

Jake looked around briefly. Then he held his head close to Rango's body. His highly sensitive nervous system felt a faint heartbeat.

The lizard was still alive.

Jake hissed angrily and glared at the chameleon.

Someone like him doesn't deserve to live.

With growling Jake leveled his revolver at the lizard. Why shouldn't he give him the death blow? Then it is over and done with him.

He held his revolver directly on Rango's chest where his heart was.

One shot would suffice, and then he would be free at last.

Suddenly Rango began to move slightly. A weak moan escaped his gagged mouth.

Jake growled angrily. "I will end your suffering soon enough."

He tightened his pressure on Rango's chest. Only one shot.

Jake was going to pull the trigger when Rango opened his eyes a little bit. He looked into Jake's eyes.

Rango's eyes were filled with fear, looking for mercy. Eyes, which pleaded: _Please!_ _Don't!_

Jake felt, how Rango's breathing sped up. A hysterical breathing of panic.

But Jake strained his eye muscles into an evil look again which everyone's blood froze in veins.

He pressed his revolver stronger on Rango's upper body.

Rango seemed to have guessed Jake's gaze.

With groaning the chameleon closed his eyes and waited that Jake gave him the coup de grace.

When Jake realized that the chameleon had given up fighting, his anger subsided a little bit.

For a long time the killer had been waiting to take revenge on the chameleon for his defeat.

Now he lay in front of him.

His life in his power.

Jake pressed firmly his gun against the chameleon. Rango began to tremble, but kept his eyes closed. A desperate tremor with no hope of rescue. Rango was at the mercy of the killer of the west.

Jake looked at Rango's hands, which were tied together with his feet on the back. His hands were clenched into fists as they would search for security, but they couldn't find.

This lizard was clearly scared.

Jake shook his head and pressed brutally his revolver against Rango's breast. Rango cried out with moaning. The tremor of the lizard became stronger.

 _Damn it!,_ Jake thought. _Do it now! It's just a lousy, annoying, little lizard._

Jake came closer with his head and was now very close to Rango's face. He felt how Rango's body was cramped and his eyes clenched.

 _He gave up._ _What more do you want?,_ it was Jake's mind.

Jake tried to sell this thought again. _I want to see him suffer. I want to torment him for my humiliation._

Jake hissed menacingly and opened his mouth a little bit. He could also give him a deadly bite.

At this moment Rango leaned back his head.

Jake was a little bit irritated by this gesture. He felt Rango's breathing became slower.

Apparently the lizard was expecting Jake wants to kill him and he didn't want to fight against him. His hands were no longer clenched in fists. Now they lay in the ropes powerless.

He was willing to let fall himself. He was ready to die.

Surprised Jake pulled back his head.

The chameleon gave up voluntarily?

With growling Jake took away his weapon from the chameleon. But he kept his eyes glued to Rango.

Damn lizard!

But that was not a fair fight. How Rango lay on the ground, helpless and tied.

Jake was no one of the kind who killed someone when this person was already on the ground.

Only if someone had annoyed him. The mayor had been one of them. Yes, it had been a pleasure for him to torture him to death. But Rango…

"Damn!" Jake hissed. This lizard had annoyed him as well! The hawk-trick and then the humiliation in front of the whole town…

The rattlesnake pointed his gun at Rango again. But something stopped Jake to shoot him down in this position.

Growling and hissing Jake turned around and let Rango alone.

Let the lizard die a miserable death, Jake thought and a cold smile plated his mouth.


	3. Please, please

After a few minutes, Rango dared to open his eyes again. He was still trembling. He looked around anxiously. But Jake wasn't visible.

With groaning, he tried to move. His whole body ached like hell.

After the first punches of the Jenkins cousins, he had lost his consciousness. When he woke up a short time later the leader had taken pleasure of whipping him. Then they had given him more beating.

Rango winced. A blazing stabbing pain went through his head, followed by terrible headaches.

Why Jake had been here? Only to take pleasure in his suffering? At least he had stopped to shoot him down.

In Rango rose up a nausea. The memory of Jake's cold eyes let his stomach clench together.

For a moment everything went black. He took laboriously a few breaths in and out.

If only he could take off the gag. He rubbed the cloth on the floor, but it was too much loose sand on the ground. It was impossible to remove the gag.

With pain in his face Rango tried to break the ropes. But the more he moved the tighter the ropes seemed to tighten around his hands and feet.

Despondent, he gave up.

* * *

The sun had reached the highest point in the sky. Rango felt how the heat burned his skin. He looked up weakly at the sun. If only he would lie in the shade. But over him only cloudless sky. Without mercy the sun burned down at him. The hot heat gave him headaches.

Desperately he tried to loosen his bonds again. But as much as he tried the ropes had pulled together too tight.

With difficulty he rolled back and forth. To top in all evil the hot desert sand tormented him even. Rango had the feeling to spin at any moment. The sun robbed him all vitality and grilled him like on a hot stove.

In his distress he gave out muffled cries several times, while he wiped his head on the ground again and again, trying to remove the gag. With panting, he stopped and listened intently, hoping someone had heard him.

But nobody answered.

 _Jake,_ he thought. _I know you are here. Help me, please!_

* * *

Jake had crept away under a rock to protect himself against the hot sun.

When he heard Rango's muffled cries, he became curious. He left his hiding place and ventured a look at the area where he could see Rango in the distance.

He saw how Rango vainly tried to free himself from the shackles.

Jake shook his head. A heartless grin on his lips. Rango's suffering seemed to amuse him. "Such a meaningless and pathetic I've never seen."

* * *

Rango had abandoned to free himself again. He knew he had to keep a clear head. At least as long as it was still possible in the heat of the sun.

There has to be a way out.

His gaze wandered to the shallow rocky hills. Maybe he could rid himself of the gag on the rocks.

With great effort he crawled with bounded legs and hands to the large flat stones. The hot desert sand was burning on his skin. If only he had on his clothes.

After a while, which seemed to him like an eternity, he finally reached the rock. Rango raised laboriously his head and rubbed the towel which was tied around his mouth against the stone. The stone was also hot like the desert sand. Rango couldn't suppress any tears of pain, but he carried on valiantly.

After several attempts the scarf came loose. With panting, he spat out the cloth and the gag hung loosely around his neck.

He breathed a sigh of relief. Now without the gag in his mouth, he could cry for help.

"HELP!"

His scream echoed through the desert and disappeared in solitude.

He listened.

But no one answered, nobody came to save him. Once again, he screamed for help, then again and again.

Coughing, he interrupted his cries. His mouth was completely dry.

He looked desperately around. Eternally he couldn't scream for help all the time. He was already quite exhausted.

If not soon someone comes over, it will be too late for him.

He rolled quickly to the other side. The sun burned down on his skin.

_Why is nobody here?_

Suddenly Rango remembered something. He looked quickly around on all sides. Then he shouted with all his might: "Jake! Help me!"

Jake, who was still watching at Rango remotely grunted disdainfully.

"Forget it," he murmured darkly and turned around to crawl back under the rock. This chameleon should not think that he would like to help him.

* * *

Annoyed Jake pushed his head deeper under his snake body. Almost a quarter of an hour long Rango cried continuously his name.

 _If this lizard doesn't stop soon, I'm really going to kill him,_ he thought.

He paused. The calls were quieter.

* * *

Rango's neck hurt.

His voice trailed off.

He felt dizzy.

Everything around him was spinning.

His attempts to cry for help had robbed him the last forces and had taken his courage to face life.

Once again, he tried to break the bonds. But all he could manage was only a few measly convulsions.

His forces had consumed.

Weakly, he closed his eyes.

He had never thought that he would end up like this.

Lonely and forgotten in the desert.

Dehydrated from the heat.

He wished he could see his town once again and Beans.

"Beans. I'll miss you," he murmured weakly.

Then he began to sob quietly. His body was too dry that he couldn't even cry anymore.

A fatigue laid around him.

He wanted to sleep.

Forever.

One last time he whispered: "Jake, please."

Then he lay stiffly.

* * *

When Jake heard no more sound, he pushed his head out of his coils and risked a look outside.

Not a sound could be heard.

Was it happening? Was the sheriff dead?

He crawled hastily out of his hiding place and looked down into the distance to the plains.

The chameleon didn't move.

He waited a few minutes then he crawled over to him.

Close beside Rango he stopped. The chameleon lay stiffly on the floor. The hands hanging into the shackles, his head pressed on the chest and slightly opened mouth.

For a while, Jake looked at his rival. If he remembered how he had bestowed his respect to this lizard.

He grinned.

"Now another chapter of western history is finished."

He nodded with satisfaction and wanted to turn away, but then he heard a soft whisper.

"Please."

Jake turned around.

Rango's eyes were still closed. But his lips moved as if he would talk in his sleep. "Please."

Jake let out a snort. Was this lizard never to get dead?

Jake was so angry that he raised his cannon to break Rango's backbone. Again Rango's lips moved, forming a word that the chameleon repeated again and again.

"Please."

Then Rango finally lost his forces. Once again, he moved his head back. Then he gave himself up his unconsciousness.

For a while, Jake stared at him in silence. But then he crawled hurriedly away.

But after a few meters he stopped.

" _Please, please."_

The words echoed through his head and he couldn't get it out of his head. Almost a full minute he stayed in this position. Then he turned around.


	4. The verdict

What had he been thinking? Why had he done it?

Jake stared angrily in front of him and felt himself like an idiot.

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to take the chameleon in his quarter. Jake's quarter consisted of an old wooden hut nearby an old gold mine. Previously, it has been used as temporary storage for explosives when the gold rush in California was still in high demand. Now the camps were empty and the gold mine abandoned.

Angrily Jake looked at the chameleon, which was still tied up and powerless on the floor.

Jake averted his eyes from the lizard and stared outside. The sun was already low. Soon it will be night.

Perhaps, it would have been the better to let him die in the heat of the sun.

But, damn it, he let himself be persuaded.

All this time Rango hadn't woken up yet. Or was he dead? Jake leaned his head down and listened intently. He was still breathing.

"Why don't you die?," Jake muttered through clenched teeth.

What should he do with him?

_Kill him! Kill him now! As long as he is still unconscious. Now you have the opportunity to give him a quick painless death._

Jake pushed forward with his head, but in front of Rango he stopped.

Damn! It was so vile. If he wanted to kill him, he wanted a real duel…

He paused. Why not? If his killer instinct already told him to kill him, then they should duel each other as befits for two legends.

"Well," Jake muttered and circled around the chameleon. "I let you still alive, but only until our duel."

Rango couldn't hear him, but Jake had nothing against his monologue. As a "judge" he had just decided a verdict.

The chameleon keeps alive until it is ready for a duel.


	5. Reprieve

Jake nodded.

He had made his decision.

Now he just had to make sure that Rango recovered from his injuries. Jake displeased it to let alive his worst enemy. Nevertheless, for a duel, he didn't have a choice. With suspicion, he bent down to the tied chameleon. First, he must release him from the shackles.

Jake opened an old, large closet, where he kept all kinds of things, including several revolvers, knives and even a few old sheriff badges. Whenever he had killed someone, he kept a few valuables of his victims as a souvenir from his victory.

After some searching, he found a knife. Carefully, he took the knife in his mouth and crawled with it to Rango. Then he bent down to him, put the knife to the shackles carefully, and cut through the ropes, which were tied around the chameleon's hands and feet.

Rango moaned softly when Jake took off his shackles.

The rattlesnake rolled the chameleon on the back to form an opinion about his injuries. Then he rolled him on his belly.

He recognized several bruises. Apparently, the bandits had beaten him several times. Rango's body had covered with bruises and his back bloody from lashes of the whip.

Jake hissed at the sight of these injuries. He knew pain.

Something carefully Jake took the impotent lizard in a corner of the room and put it on a big blanket. Then he crawled back to the old closet and pulled out a large cloth. With the cloth in his mouth, he crawled outside. Next to the house flowed a little water source. He dipped the cloth into the water several times until it was soaking wet. With the wet cloth, he returned and spread it out over Rango.

Rango whined softly. However, Jake looked at him with a straight face. Cooling was the best for him now.

He touched Rango's forehead. The chameleon was severely dehydrated.

Quickly, Jake filled a glass with water, which he transported with his gun. It was amazing what Jake could manage without hands.

He sat down next to Rango and sat him up. Skillfully the rattlesnake managed to pour some water in Rango's mouth. Although Rango coughed a little bit, but he had drunken some fluid at least.

Gently Jake put him back on the blanket.

For a while, Jake looked at the chameleon, wondering what he should do to him next. In any case the wounds had to be treated.

He went back to the old cupboard, searching for first aid materials. Some of them were very dusty. Jake didn't know much about it, but at least he knew that alcohol was used for disinfecting.

With a tweezers, he dipped a piece of cotton in alcohol. Then he cleaned Rango's head wound. Rango trembled slightly, but he didn't wake up. After that, the rattlesnake rolled him on the belly and wiped the welts on his back clean.

Jake worked as carefully as he could. It wasn't easy working without hands. After he cleaned everything, he put him back on the blanket and rolled him on the belly.

Applying the wound powder was more difficult. But with the help of an old brush Jake managed to cover the worst wounds.

After he had finished, Jake looked at his work.

"Don't get used to that," Jake whispered to Rango, who was still unconscious. "You will die soon enough."

* * *

Jake had lit a campfire.

It was the second night, since he had accommodated the chameleon at his hut. Rango was still unconscious. Sometimes Rango whimpered a little bit, but after that he was silent immediately.

Jake stared into the flames.

The anger inside his stomach caused him stomach ache.

He hated it to take care for his rival.

Again and again, Jake toyed with the idea to kill Rango here and now. Then he changed his mind again and postponed Rango's final death until their duel.

Jake looked up. Rango moved slightly.

Should he talk to him or should he hide? If Rango saw him, Jake must confess him that he had helped him. This could ruin his reputation as the biggest killer of the West.

How could he make the chameleon clear that he still considers him as a rival? No, lower. He was his prisoner. Then he had an idea.

* * *

Rango's head hurts terribly. His whole body ached like sharps by a thousand needles. His mouth was dry. With blinking, he opened his eyes.

Over him, old wooden beams. Where was he?

A blanket lay on him.

Or was he dead?

He tried to sit up, but he couldn't move his arms. Quickly he removed the blanket with his legs. A rope was tied around his torso, which fixed his arms on the body. In vain, Rango tried to free himself. Only his right arm was partly free. When Rango tried to open the knot with his free hand, he heard a hissing sound beside him.

He startled. "Jake."

Jake bent down to him.

"One thing I want to make clear to you: That I brought you here, doesn't mean that I will let you alive. Oh no. As soon as you recovered, we will duel us."

Rango looked at him in disbelief. "But…"

"Not buts!" Jake interrupted him. "You have the choice, either I kill you _now_ , or we fight a duel later."

The chameleon's voice failed when he looked at Jake's threatening burning eyes.

Finally, Rango nodded.

Something satisfied with himself, Jake moved back.

"Good. For so long you are my prisoner, not my guest!"

Jake pointed at Ranog's shackles.

"And don't come up with the idea of escaping!"

Rango nodded. A cough escaped his throat.

Jake turned around. Rango feared he enraged him mad. Quickly he closed his eyes. Seconds later, Jake came back.

He bumped Rango into the side and forced him to sit up. Moaning Rango raised his torso.

Then he heard something jingling.

Carefully, he opened his eyes. At first, he saw Jake's revolver in front of his face. Rango received a shock, although he was shocked enough. Then something flashed in the glow of the campfire. Now Rango recognized a glass on Jake's gun, filled with transparent liquid. Rango looked at him with shocked eyes.

In the past Jake had ever served him a glass, filled with his venom. Was he planning to poison him?

"Drink!" Jake ordered.

Rango didn't want to make him mad.

Hesitantly he took the glass with his free hand. He was still shaking, so it was difficult for him to keep the glass. Jake held his hand with his cannon and lifted it.

Rango shuddered. Like the same time as he had pressed his revolver in his hand. He sniffed. But it smelled neither suspected nor colored like rattlesnake venom. Rango tried to bend his arm, that wasn't easy because of the shackles around his body. Jake helped him to get the glass to his lips.

First Rango sipped at the glass. Jake watched him.

Rango gave him a wary glance. Then he drank slowly.

After he finished, he handed the glass back. Jake took the glass and caught it with his gun. Then he turned away and Rango sank back to the ground.

"Now sleep or I euthanize you. Understood?!" Jake said threateningly.

Rango nodded intimidated. He leaned back and closed his eyes.

He tried to sleep, but that wasn't so easy with a rope around his body.


	6. Killer instinct

The next few days were for Rango partly recovery, but also uneasiness.

There was no day where he didn't get an evil look from Jake.

Every morning, Jake didn't greet him, but he only asked: "How are you today?"

And Rango used to answer: "not bad" or "better than yesterday."

After that, Jake used to take a look at the injuries. Depending on how the injuries looked like he put a salve on it or cool compresses. Then he gave him water, what Jake only did with a disapproving, contemptuous gesture. But he had to realize that Rango was still too weak.

* * *

On the second day, Rango was hungry, but he didn't dare to ask Jake for food. But on the fourth day, Rango couldn't stand it any longer. The hunger bit him in the stomach. When Jake treated his injuries like every morning, Rango tried to ask him carefully.

"Jake?"

Jake said nothing, but looked at him suspiciously.

"Jake? I… I'm hungry."

An exasperated hiss made him start. Jake had raised up menacingly in front of him and looked at him so angrily as if Rango had insulted him with his question.

"All right, all right", Rango said hastily. "I think I can go without food."

At that moment Rango's stomach growled again. Rango screwed up his eyes and feared he had made Jake mad because of his stomach growl.

Jake sighed in disgust. Then he turned and Rango was alone again.

* * *

A while later Rango woke up when Jake came back.

Something fearfully Rango hid under the blanket as Jake closed the door. In his mouth, he held a small sack, which had filled with something.

Rango held his breath when Jake let fall the sack beside him to the ground.

Hesitantly, Rango peeked out under the blanket.

"Here." With these words, Jake pushed the sack to Rango with an annoyed gesture.

Unsurely Rango took with his free hand the loop of the sack and opened it.

Grasshoppers. The sack had filled with dead desert grasshoppers.

"Normally, I eat some bigger things," Jake said mockingly. "Either you eat it or you let it."

"No, no", Rango said quickly. "That's really okay. I like insects."

With his free hand, Rango took a grasshopper. Hesitantly, he bit into it and chewed. It was lucky, that he was an insect-eating lizard. So it wasn't a problem for him to eat Jake's captured insects. On the contrary. Slowly he developed a taste for it and soon he ate with relish a grasshopper after another.

Jake watched him with suspicion. He hated it so much to feed his prisoner and his anger rose again in his stomach.

 _I hope you choke to dead on your food,_ he thought.

* * *

Rango lay slumbering peacefully on the blanket and seems to be very happy. Now that the hunger didn't longer torment him, he fell asleep very quickly.

Jake, who was still awake, bit on his lower lip. Most of all he liked to bite him now.

Again his killer instinct called to him.

"Calm down", he said to himself. "You come soon enough to quench your revenge. Don't worry."

* * *

But on the eighth day, Jake lost his patience.

Rango hadn't still awake this morning yet as Jake pushed him roughly to the side.

"Get up!"

Still half asleep, Rango sat up. But because of the rope around him it wasn't easy for him to stay in this position.

"Get up!" Jake ordered.

"What is it?" Rango asked wearily.

"I don't care how you are today!" Jake snapped. "We fight our duel today! Immediately!"

"But I…"

But Jake didn't give him a chance to reply. The snake moved like lightning her body around the chameleon. Then Jake took a knife in his mouth and bend down to Rango, who lay stiffly and breathed hardly in the loops. Jake put the knife on the rope carefully and with a quick jerk cut through the shackles. Then Jake loosened his grip and Rango fell roughly to the ground. Rango was dizzy. He wasn't fit yet. At the same moment, he heard something fall beside him. Surprised, he looked up as he realized his clothes on the floor. Including his gun belt.

"Put it on!"

Unsurely Rango pulled on his clothes and bucked on the belt around his hips.

Jake watched at him impatiently. When Rango had finished at last, he pushed him outside. He couldn't wait to satisfy his urge to kill. He wanted revenge.


	7. Legendary

Dazzled by the glaring sun, Rango stood in the free desert area.

Jake stood a few steps in front of him and looked at him provocatively.

A cold, mischievous smile played about his lips.

Rango felt rather unsettled. Trembling, he held his revolver in his hand and controlled the magazine, while he searched with another eye the environment, in hope to find an escape route. But around them, there was only flat desert landscape. Just a few small rocks and flat stones lay scattered around them. It was impossible to escape without being seen.

Rango stopped. Behind him, not far away lay a valley area. Perhaps he could escape in this way. But Jake would never let him go. On the contrary. Jake kept a wary eye on him like a watchdog.

"Of course, you don't need all bullets," Jake said mockingly.

With his gun, he slammed Rango's revolver out of his hand and emptied all bullets on the ground. Except one. Then he handed the weapon back to Rango.

Rango was speechless. Jake really demanded from him to compete with him.

Jake laughed scornfully and crawled a few feet farther back away from him, kept his eyes riveted on him.

Rango swallowed heavily. "Could we not reconsider again?"

Jake shot a few centimeters away beside Rango on the floor.

Frightened Rango jumped aside. His gaze wandered to Jake, whose eyes showed sheer determination. It had written on the snake's face, that he wanted it finally settled between them.

"I interpret this as a `no´," Rango mumbled intimidated.

"The game begins now!" Jake shouted. "You decide. Either we turn to the back, count to 10 then we fire, or we approach each other, and then we shoot."

Rango swallowed.

"That's big of you", he murmured. "Is there any variant without shooting?"

"There is just one rule. If you win, I will die. If I win, you will die."

Hesitantly Rango raised his hand. "But couldn't we…"

Jake shot again. Rango jumped behind a rock.

"Come on!" Jake shouted. "Come out! Let's get it over with. Or are you a coward?"

Jake laughed. It seemed to make him fun to hunt the chameleon.

Rango's heart pounded like mad and pressed himself closer to the rock. Jake aimed with his gun on the rock and waited that Rango came out again.

"What's going on now?" Jake shouted. "Are you coming out? Yes or no? Or do I have to fetch you?"

Feverishly Rango tried to find a solution. He needed something to distract Jake and to flee afterwards.

He looked around. Not far away lay the dell. He could run fast, but Jake was faster with his shooting iron. He would shoot him down without mercy if he had the chance. That would be his end.

Then he had an idea. He quickly picked up a stone from the ground and waited for a few seconds. Then he threw the stone as far as possible away from himself. Immediately, Jake looked in the direction where the stone slammed down on the ground. Rango took his chance and ran as fast as he could in the valley floor.

Jake saw how Rango disappeared in the hollow of the valley.

He smiled grimly. "You want to escape? How amusing."

* * *

Rango ran as fast as he could. Under no circumstances he wanted to be caught by Jake.

Completely out of breath, he leaned against a hill and panted heavily. Groaning, he held his belly. His wounds were not completely healed and hurt terribly after that sprint.

Trembling, he rested his hands on his knees.

Did Jake lose him? Was he free?

He listened intensively. But everything was quiet.

When Rango wanted to continue to run, he gave a shriek of terror.

Jake had suddenly appeared and held the barrel of his improvised gun directly on Rango's belly.

"Did you really think you could escape from me? Ha! You really don't know me."

He pressed Rango against the sand dune.

With trembling hands Rango managed to take out his revolver.

Jake grinned. "Go ahead, hero. Pull the trigger."

Rango swallowed heavily. The blood rushed through his head and his heart was in his mouth. Was there no escape?

With pleading eyes, he looked into Jake's eyes. But Jake showed no mercy. He wanted to finish the fight today. Without delay.

Rango closed his eyes. Now he had no choice.

He took a deep breath and threw his weapon away.

Jake was so irritated that he was speechless for a moment.

"Pick up your weapon!" Jake shouted at him.

Rango shook his head. "No!" He crossed his arms.

Jake hissed threateningly. He wanted a duel. And now he didn't get it? He wanted to compete with him. How could he fight with someone if the person didn't want to fight?

Angrily, Jake grabbed the chameleon and threw him through the air. Rango slammed to the ground and stayed lying down. Immediately Jake forced him to stand up again. He shoved the gun back in his hand and held the barrel right on his nose. Then Jake pointed his gun at Rango's head.

The chameleon was paralyzed by fear.

Jake grinned darkly. "The one, who dies first, is a loser."

Rango sighed dejectedly. In Jake's eyes, he saw the fire of revenge. His blood had filled with bloodlust, the desire to kill. A bloodlust, which he never could obliterate.

He closed his eyes. He felt how Jake pressed his gun against his head.

"Are you afraid?" Jake asked darkly without pity.

Rango was silent.

He _could_ pull the trigger. His revolver was in his hand. He _could_ kill him. But what if this would be his last act in life? Jake would certainly still have enough strength to shoot a bullet through his head.

For a moment Rango couldn't think straight.

Did it have to end this way?

Memories passed in his mind's eye. His first encounter with Jake. Their first duel. This duel passed off without consequences. But this time…

"And who will believe you, that you killed me?" Rango asked.

Jake hissed angrily. Why this sheriff said something like that?

Rango had opened his eyes and looked Jake in the face.

"Maybe the people will think it has been someone else. After all, you are not the only lawbreaker in his area."

Jake snorted with rage. "My bullets are distinctive. Nobody uses such kind of bullets than me with my gun."

"That may be true," Rango tried again. "But who will believe that you killed me fearlessly in a great battle?"

Jake looked at him speechless while Rango continued. "Everybody also believed my lie that I had killed the Jenkins brothers. How should people know later, that it is not just a rumor?"

Jake hissed warningly. "If you think you can change my mind with your empty talk, you are wrong there."

He pressed his gun closer to Rango's forehead.

"Wait, wait," Rango said and raised his hands. "All right, you will have a duel with me. But a duel would be better if it would take place under eyewitnesses. I know from history that the legends of the West became very famous when they have discharged their legendary fighting in a city. Just like our last duel in Dirt. Unfortunately, it has been interrupted…"

He gave a forced smile.

Jake seemed to think about it.

"So," Rango continued. "I make you a suggestion. Let me go, and we will make our next duel in a city in front of eyewitnesses. So, I mean, if we should meet again. I could imagine that you will come sometimes again in the city, right? Then everybody can see it and everybody can tell it everywhere. Then there will be no doubt that you had defeated me."

"Without tricks?" Jake asked.

Rango swallowed. „Okay, without tricks."

"Swear!"

"I swear!"

Jake grinned dangerously. The deal pleased him somehow. A duel was not as spectacular as others would not see it.

"All right. Then we go to the city now and hold it there..."

"No, Jake! Wait! "

Jake hissed angrily. What's the problem now?

Rango had raised his hand and looked at Jake with pleading eyes. "Give me time, please. I have to recover from the beating of the Jenkins cousins yet. The people shouldn't say that the grim reaper of the West has defeated a half exhausted sheriff. Anyone else would have managed it, too."

That made sense to Jake. His adrenaline decreased, and with it his killer instinct.

"Well," he said. "Then you go back to town alone. I will wait until you're ready to fight. But one thing I wanna tell you…" He leaned forward to Rango and looked threateningly in his eyes. "If you try to run away, I swear, I will hunt you to the end of the earth until I have caught you. Is that understood!?"

Rango nodded hastily. He had understood very well.

The chameleon breathed a sigh of relief as Jake lowered his gun. But before Jake turned away, he looked again in Rango's eyes. "And something else. In our next duel I will make no compromises."

"Sure thing," Rango said and put with trembling hands his gun away.


	8. See ya later

Rango felt a little uncomfortable.

He sat on Jake's back and wore a blindfold.

Jake had forced him to wear a cloth around his eyes. He did not want that Rango knew where his quarters lay. Nevertheless, it disgusted him to transport Rango on his back through the desert.

Before they reached the city area, Jake stopped and set Rango down to the ground.

"We're here," Jake said.

Rango took off the blindfold.

"The town isn't very far away from here."

"Oh, thank you…"

Jake pushed him away. "Get lost!"

Without reply, Rango ran away.

Jake watched him.

He would never say it, but he must admit that he was a little glad, that he didn't kill Rango.

Where would be the fun in that?

He loved to feel the adrenaline in his veins, if he and this chameleon clarify the question who of them is the best.

And this next time would come very soon.

"See ya later."

With these words, Jake turned around.

* * *

Hesitantly Rango turned around and saw how Jake disappeared behind the hill.

He stopped.

At that moment, his legs turned to jelly and he sank on his knees involuntarily.

That was close, he thought. Very close.

For a while, he was unable to move and sat there with shaking hands. It seemed to him as if everything had been a dream.

Why did Jake reprieved him for a while?

Just because he wanted to have a duel with him?

Jake was a killer. Without a doubt. But if so, why didn't the rattlesnake shoot him immediately? At first, Jake had refused his help, but then...

Rango stared thoughtfully into the distance, where Jake was gone.

This snake was a mystery for him. Apparently, the pride of this snake was so big that it beneath his dignity to eliminate Rango in a helpless state without a real battle.

After he had sat for a while, he stood up and marched towards the city.

Once again, he turned around. Did Jake follow him? No, there's no one to be seen.

_He said, see you later. But when?_

Until he was ready for a duel.

Rango stroked over his arms, then he touched his belly. The bruises still hurt a little. Until the wounds were completely healed, it would take a while. But what will happen if Jake comes to town again?

He did not know.

With a thoughtful look, the chameleon stared into the distance.

_"On our next duel I will make no compromises."_

Rango sighed. Of course, Jake had killer's eyes, but otherwise…

Maybe he could convince him one day, that a battle was not the right solution.

Possibly, there was some good inside him. Who knows.

\- The end -


End file.
